Parallel Lives
by mg56
Summary: Blossom has always been trapped under Sonic's thumb, but when some visitors from Sonic's home planet arrive, the boot is suddenly on the other foot. Cowritten with mg34. FINISHED!
1. Summary

**1. Summary**

A new day, a new story, another sequel. If you haven't read the previous three normally I'd say don't worry, but this time you may get confused very quickly. The summary below should help catch you up, but if you want more information you can ask me in a review or read 'Can you keep a Secret,' 'Brick through a Window,' and 'Tangled Web.'

If you have read all those, go on to chapter 2. Thank you.

Powerpuff Characters. All these are from the normal series, I did not create them and do not own them. Puffs/Ruffs are 32 years old.

Blossom: Married (see below) with two children. Has recently returned to crime fighting, and is regaining lost confidence.

Bubbles: Is married to Boomer.

Buttercup: Is married to Butch, and has been for seven years. In a previous story she lost a baby, which understandably upset her a lot, but is making progress through it.

Butch: Married to Buttercup, (yes, I know I just said). Also now a superhero, but still manages to abuse his position to make money in less than legal ways. Devastated by the loss of the baby, but determined to sort it out.

Boomer: About to marry Bubbles, is now a superhero, and much more honest about it than Butch.

Brick: Died at seventeen, details of this in "Can you keep a Secret." Now works for Death(!) collecting the souls of those who have just died. Has a horse called Katharine. He is still in love with Blossom, and the two of them met again at the end of 'Tangled web.'

Any other characters from the standard series can be assumed to be in the same state as in the show, just suitably older.

Crossover characters I use these because I'm unoriginal. More may appear as needed, but only the two below are major characters.

Eddy: From Ed, Edd and Eddy, is married to Blossom(?) Not really accepted by Bubbles and Buttercup, but more so by Butch and Butch. Quite how he got here isn't clear. Has an inferiority complex over Brick, but doesn't worry about it, as Bricks not here to take advantage.

Sonic: Yes, the Hedgehog, (I know, I Know.) He is the leader of the Superheroes, making him the puffs/ruffs boss. Particularly keen to keep Blossom working very minute of the day. Has recently admitted to Blossom that he hates her due to jealousy, but full ramifications and reasons behind this are yet to be known.

My characters Characters I created. Feel free to use, if you can find one for them (which you won't, because no sane person would pair Eddy and Blossom…)

Edward: Blossom and Eddy's son, ten years old. Didn't know his mum was a superhero until very recently (did know about Bubbles and Buttercup), and not to keen on it himself. Has an ambition to be a rally driver. Currently recovering from a very serious injury inflicted by Him.

MJ: Edwards's younger sister, five years old. She has the same knowledge of her family as Edward does, but desperately wants to be a superhero. Generally smiley and chirpy. Was being bullied at school, until Edward took matters into his own hands. Also now has powers similar to Spiderman as well as her Puff powers.

Roland: Another of Death's workers, merely there as someone for Brick to talk to.

Other concepts

SSR: the government funded superhero organisation. Sonic is in charge, Blossom is second in command, but Sonic treats her more as a glorified secretary. The other Puffs/Ruffs are also members, as well as anyone else I pull out of thin air.

Blossom's secret: Related to Brick's death, it plays a huge part in this story. Basically, In confusing, high pressure circumstances, Blossom ended up killing Superman, who'd just killed Brick. Sonic was first on the scene, and covered up for her by claiming that Brick killed Superman, and Blossom killed Brick in response. Other people aware of the truth are Eddy, Butch and Boomer – who were told so they didn't try to get Blossom out of her sister's lives. NOTE, Bubbles and Buttercup DO NOT know.

Apology: Sorry to Terry Prachett, who I've stolen some ideas off (but I'm in good company in that field!) And sorry to any Sonic fans who might read this, he generally doesn't come off well.

Right, if you think this is stupid, press the back button and I wish you all the best. If you think this could be good, but don't understand what I've just written, or want to know more, you can go skim read 'Can you keep a secret' and 'Brick through a window.' If you want to read the story, let's begin.


	2. Mostly Perfect

Okay, sorry for the length of the up coming author's note, but there are a few things I want to get straight before I start. This bit is for my few regular readers especially.

This story is not my idea. My younger brother, who is on this site as mg34, was reading my stories and kept on asking questions about Sonic, and his role in the stories. Not satisfied with the answer that he was merely a plot tool to make Blossom suffer, he came up with a back story for how Sonic got into these stories. I've taken it, puffed it up a bit (in more ways then one) and written a story around it. Therefore, mg34 is a credited Co-writer.

However, this story is NOT about Sonic, although he has a major role.In fact I hope it will tell you more about Blossom then anyone else. More importantly, I hope you'll enjoy it.

**

* * *

2. Mostly Perfect **

It was just a normal day. Blossom had finished her early morning patrol work, and was feeling quite pleased with her self; breaking up three armed robberies in two hours with no help is pleasing. Now she was at her desk, doing the mountains of paperwork, but even that couldn't get her down.

Everything was going right for once. Brick had forgiven her for his death, and therefore a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It had also improved her relationship with Eddy. Free from worry about her first and true love, Blossom had found it much easier to be with her second love. There was also a visible knock on effect; Eddy also seemed more relaxed. He was talking with her freely about everything, ever the not-so-legal business aspects. One day he knew they'd be separated, and Blossom would be with Brick at last, but this element of certainty seemed to suit Eddy fine.

"I've never won anything, so why should coming second disappoint me?" he'd told her when she'd queried him on it. Since then everything had been out in the open. Bizarrely, their doomed relationship had got stronger by the knowledge it was doomed.

They'd even had sex twice last week! It was the first time they'd managed that since Edward was born!

Edward himself was relatively happy too. His suspension from school had never ended, but he was starting high school in the autumn, and since his injuries from the stabbing had never really healed, Blossom didn't worry about it. He'd been moaning about his injury at any opportunity though, especially if it meant getting MJ to do stuff for her.

MJ still blamed herself for what had happened to Edward, but she'd never seemed happier. Blossom had to admit that Eddy had been right; the kids knowing they had powers hadn't been a disaster yet. Sure, it was a bit of a shock to find MJ handing from the ceiling, or to trip over on of her web lines, but she hadn't got into any real trouble, and had really scared those kids at school!

She now spent most of her time pestering Blossom to tell her how to fly. She'd promised to teach her at the weekend, but quite how Blossom was unsure of, since she'd never had to learn. Edward in comparison wanted nothing to do with his own powers. In line with his dream, he was asking Eddy to show him how a car engine worked. This was a challenge for Eddy, as the only things he knew about cars were how to drive them and how to sell them. But it didn't worry him or Blossom. They were in the good times for now, and they were rolling with them.

Noise was rising near Blossom's desk. She looked up. A lot of Superheroes were around now. It was nearly lunch break, and the room was buzzing with the sound of hungry 'Defenders of Humanity' preparing to queue up for a free lunch. Some of them waved and smiled at Blossom. She nodded in response, but couldn't go for lunch yet herself. She needed to finish this document…

"BLOSSOM!" Sonic's voice cut through every sound. The room immediately fell silent. Blossom went ridge: her desk was completely exposed to all onlookers; it was positioned to make her look like a secretary even though she was officially second in command. The 'person' who had put it there was now coming to talk to her, and he had a large audience.

Sonic stopped by Blossom's desk and dropped an open report on to it.

"READ!" he said.

"Where?" Blossom tried to keep her composure. It was difficult, as everyone was looking at her.

"WHERE MY FINGER IS!" Sonic bellowed. Blossom looked. Then she gulped. "Spotted it?" Sonic continued, quietly but clearly and angrily.

"Yes."

"What have you spotted?" Sonic said in the same way again. "Say it so everyone can here you."

"Is that really necessary?"

Sonic smiled, showing his teeth. "Oh yes." His voice was now full of smugness.

Blossom sighed. "I've put an extra zero on the end of our expenditure this financial year. It's a typo, I'll correct it."

"Bit late now, when I had to explain it to the President THIS MORNING." He swung away from Blossom to address the watching superheroes in general. "MISTAKES ARE NOT EXCEPTABLE IN ANY AREA OF THIS ORGINISATION!" he declared in his high-and-mighty way, before returning to his office.

Blossom sat at her desk trying to avoid eye contact with anyone, till they'd all filed away, whispering as they went. Then she got up, threw open the door to Sonic's office and slammed it behind her.

"What made you do that?" she hissed. Sonic had his feet on the desk and was playing with his desk toy. Eventually he looked up.

"Hello Blossom," he said with no sigh of the anger that he'd been showing only minutes earlier, "what can I do for you?"

"You were back from that meeting at eleven o'clock! I asked you how it went and you said fine! The only reason you waited until one to tell me that was because you wanted to humiliate me in front of everyone!"

"Don't point your finger at me Blossom. And it wasn't everyone. It was only about half at most."

"Oh and you don't think the word will get round?"

"I hope it does. I think we need to make examples of people to get the majority to put their socks up from time to time. What do you think?"

Blossom was spitting with anger. "I think that if you're unhappy with my administrative work you should either tell me in p-r-i-v-a-t-e or you should high a trained administrator!"

"No chance," Sonic said calmly. "They'd never work your hours for your wage." He was really pushing it now. Blossom could feel energy inside her surging with the anger.

"What if I quit!" she hissed.

"Oh you won't do that," Sonic said calmly, "would you?" Blossom paused; her angry temporally overcome by shock and fear.

"You wouldn't!" she gasped.

"No," he said, "I probably wouldn't. But can you afford to take that risk?" He clicked his desk toy again, and looked up at the devastated puff. "You may go now," he finished.

* * *

Bubbles sat down next to Blossom at lunch. Blossom wasn't eating; she was tapping away on a portable games system. Bubbles looked over her shoulder. 

"What are you playing?" she asked surprised. Playing on computer games wasn't really a Blossom thing.

"Sonic the Hedgehog," she said deadpan. Bubbles watched as the figure on the screen impaled itself on some spikes again.

"You're not doing very well," she said.

"That depends on one's objective," Blossom replied, as Sonic died again.

* * *

Okay, thanks for reading. Please review, and feel free to ask questions, and make suggestions. Thanks. 


	3. No Xenophobia Here

**2. No Xenophobia Here**

It was late at night now. Sonic was still in his office, enjoying a drink. He was quite pleased with his days work: the meeting with the President had been productive, he'd stamped his authority on the SSR again and he'd humiliated Blossom. He briefly considered whether he'd been too harsh on Blossom, but it was only briefly.

Sipping his drink again, he decided to turn on the radio, and started flicking through static, trying to find a station. He found something, but it wasn't a broadcasting station:

"_Shhssssssshssssshtry this frequency Tails. Hello this is the spaceship HMS Acorn from the planet mobius, requesting permeation to land. We come in peace… Hello? No that's not working, try another one…."_

The radio returned to static, but the listener was no longer in the room.

* * *

"What am I going to do Eddy?" Blossom asked the following morning. "I can't spend the rest of my life being ruled over by Sonic."

Eddy looked up from his frying pan. "No, only for the rest of his. I mean how old is he? Must be at least fifty. So that's not too long."

"I can't wait that long," Blossom sighed. "It's the only bad things in my life at the moment, yet somehow it makes me dread every time I go to work. I should enjoy my job," she pointed out, "you enjoy yours."

Eddy sat down. "Okay, let's look at your options. You could quit."

"I could, but then the truth of what happened might leak."

"Fine, get Sonic prosecuted for bulling at work."

"Then it would defiantly leak."

"Then you need to bargain with him," Eddy said, "tell him that if he leaks the truth about Superman, you'll have him charged of harassment or something."

Blossom sighed. "I have more to lose then he does."

"I wouldn't know," Eddy laughed, "you might not mind getting the electric chair." Blossom shot him a look.

"Don't talk like that," she said tetchily, "I want to see the kids grow up. I still want to spend time with you," she finished, with a change of tone.

"Well, Sonic could always…" he stopped.

"What?"

"You know, have an accident. Fall out a widow."

"EDDY!"

"He could trip on some of MJ's webbing, that bloody stuff nearly sent me down the stairs yesterday! I wish you'd teach her about her puff powers, it would stop her practising with that sticky stuff."

"I'm doing that on Saturday," Blossom reminded him, "it's only another two days. But I'm not pushing Sonic out of a window… yet."

"I don't know then," Eddy sighed, "but he holds you hostage to your past right, that's his weapon?"

"Yep."

"Then you could try finding a weapon in his past to fight it with. Something more powerful."

"Yes, that could work," Blossom admitted, "But where am I going to find something worse then killing Superman?"

* * *

Blossom arrived at work to find Bubbles and Buttercup playing chess on her desk.

"Erm, what are you doing?" she asked, "I've never seen you play chess before."

"Well me and Boomer were clearing out my apartment," Bubbles explained, "and we found it lying around. So I though it would give me and Butters something to do while were on call."

"You owned a chess set?"

"Yeah, I didn't realise till I found it!"

Blossom had a closer look. "Hey! This is my chess set! I 'lost' it when I left home!"

Bubbles looked puzzled. "It must have gone in the wrong box…"

"WIILL YOU TWO BE QUIET," Buttercup snapped, "I'm trying to concentrate!" She ran her eyes over the board once more, then moved a piece, kept her finger on it for a long time while she studied the board again, and eventually she sat back. Bubbles glanced at the board, and then made an instantaneous move.

"Checkmate."

"Dam it!" Buttercup smacked the board over, "stupid game."

"Buttercup!" scolded Blossom, "Firstly, were not six anymore, so there's no need for a temper tantrum, and secondly, that's mine!" she finished with a whine.

"Now who's being immature?"

Blossom was about to take issue, when the phone rang on her desk. Funnily enough, she answered it.

"Hello, SSR headquarters, Blossom Panner speaking, how may I direct your call?" She ignored Buttercups mimic of her telephone manor.

"Mrs Panner, this is General Smith speaking. Can you put me through to Sonic please?"

"Yes General," Blossom said instinctively, and she pressed the intercom. Then she took a deep breath, and spoke as naturally as she could. "Sonic, I have General Smith on the line." There was no response. "Sonic?" she repeated. Nothing.

She put the phone down, and walked over to the door of Sonic's office. She knocked on the door.

"SONIC!" Nothing. She opened the door, had a quick look, and returned to the phone.

"I'm afraid he's not in his office General, can I take a message?"

"Humm, I'm afraid not, it's urgent. We have a UFO that has landed in Virginia, near Richmond. The in occupants haven't emerged yet, but our scanners suggest they may be superhuman, so we need you to send a team to investigate for us."

Blossom hesitated. She really hoped these aliens weren't friends of Superman. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to," she said, "I need Sonic's authorisation, I can go find him if you…"

"We can't wait that long," the General replied, "I out rank Sonic, I'm authorising you. Send a team at once."

Blossom smiled. Someone who outranked Sonic! "I'll come myself sir," she confirmed, before putting the phone down. It would really annoy Sonic when he found out she'd operated on someone else's orders!

"Bubbles!"

"Yes Blossom?"

"We're going to Richmond. Can you teleport us there at once."

"Where's Sonic?" Buttercup asked.

"Don't know," Blossom shrugged. "Where ever he is, let's hope he stays there…"

* * *

The spaceship was smouldering on the ground: the landing had not been smooth. The Puffs observed it from behind a bush.

"Okay," Blossom commanded, "here's what were going to do. Buttercup, you're going to fly up directly above the ship and observe it from above. If they make any funny moves, do what you do best."

"Right!" she moved into position stealthily.

"Bubbles, I want you to walk up to the ship, and listen in to see if they are saying anything. If they are, work out their langue, and come back to me when you have, and I'll tell you what to say to them. If they're not talking, we'll rethink. Okay?"

"Got it." Bubbles approached slowly, and pressed herself up against the side of it. Sliding around it, she found a point from which she could hear the conversation.

"… _so it wasn't my fault. The wind caught me out."_

"_Oh come on Tails, I could have landed it better then that!"_

"_I take that as a grievous insult Knuckles!"_

"_Are you implying I can't fly this thing?"_

"_No, I'm saying it!"_

"_Quiet you two! Sonna's got the environment monitor working."_

"_Okay, what does it read?"_

"_It says the air is breathable Shadow."_

"_Great, let's get some fresh air!"_

Bubbles hurried back to Blossom.

"There's four of them and they're about to get out," she reported.

"Have you got the langue?"

"Yes, I've got it."

"Then ask them to emerge from there craft bearing no weapons, but that we mean them no harm."

"Okay." Bubbles stood up to her full height, and hovered slightly above the ground to emphasise it. Blossom signalled to Buttercup to be ready. Bubbles took a deep breath, and bellowed in Standard English:

"HEY, ALIEN GUYS! WE MEAN YOU NO HARM! TO SHOW US THAT YOU MEAN US NO HARM, PLEASE EMERGE NOW BEARING NO WEAPONS! THANKYOU!"

Blossom taped her on the shoulder. "If you'd told me that they spoke English, I could have spoken to them!"

Bubbles shrugged. "You never asked."

The door opened and four figures emerged. One of them, a black hedgehog, spoke politely to them:

"Hello, my name is Shadow, I am from the planet Mobius, and I come in peace. We are here because my associate here, Knuckles, (he gesturing towards a grumpy looking red Echidna) had an accident with his Chaos Emeralds and may have teleported one here a few weeks ago, so we are hear to find it. It is very dangerous, so we would appreciate as much help as you could give us. My other companions are Tails (the orange two tailed fox) and Sonna (a pink hedgehog, late teens, much younger then all the others.)"

Blossom waved Buttercup down and replied.

"Hi, welcome to earth. My name is Blossom Panner, and these are my sisters Bubbles and Buttercup Jojo. We work for an organisation called the SSR, and I'm sure our leader would be happy to help you regarding chaos emeralds."

"Yeah," said Buttercup, "and you look just like Sonic."

There was deafly silence from the visitors, although they all flinched except Shadow. He paused before speaking.

"Sonic the Hedgehog," he said flatly.

"Yes," Blossom confirmed, slightly nervously.

"Right," Shadow said calmly but directly, "we're going to need to get to know each other, because we're going to need your trust."

"Sonic isn't greatly trusting," Bubbles said.

"No, not Sonic's, your trust."

"Why?" Blossom was now very confused.

"Because," Shadow said, "Sonic the Hedgehog is wanted on our planet for a double murder seventeen years ago…"

* * *

Okay, please review. Please ask any questions you may have, especially if you don't know Shadow, Tails or Knuckles. Thanks. 


	4. Blossom in Charge

**4. Blossom in Charge**

Blossom had returned them to the SSR building, and they had now brought the Mobians to an interview room.

"Do we have to do this," Knuckles protested.

"I just want to have the accusations on record," said Blossom as calmly as she could, "and this way you won't have to repeat yourselves."

"Let's do it there way for now Knuckles," said Shadow in that polite yet commanding way.

"With respect," said Knuckles to Shadow with anything but, "I did not agree to come here to find Sonic, and I don't think Sonna should hear this again," he finished through gritted teeth. Shadow looked at Knuckles for a while, and then nodded.

"Okay, you and Sonna can go and look for the Chaos Emerald. Me and Tails will talk to them."

"Just remember," Knuckles said bluntly, "When we find the Emerald, we go home. Okay?" Shadow nodded.

"Err, the Chaos Energy detector is showing a lot of interference," Sonna interrupted.

"Well we'll have to hope it will sort it's self out!" Knuckles said.

The three puffs were watching the group's interaction with interest, and suddenly Blossom realised something. If what Sonic had told her earlier was true – that the puffs were created from chaos energy – then they who would be causing the interference.

"Hang on," she said abruptly, "I'll get some help for you. BOOMER!" The Blue Ruff appeared moments later.

"Yes Blossom? – hi Bubbles."

"You see these two 'people' here?" Boomer looked.

"Hey, they're sort of like Sonic."

"Yes, I want you to help them find their missing Emerald, and to make sure nothing happens to them while they're here. Okay."

"What about Sonic?"

"He won't be around for a while," Blossom could hardly hide the smugness in her voice.

"Very well then, if you'd like to follow me Sir and Madame," Boomer said to Knuckles and Sonna, "see you at home Bubbles!"

Shadow watched them go, as Bubbles waved good bye, and then he turned to Blossom.

"That really wasn't necessary," he said gratefully.

"No, it was," said Blossom, "This is a confusing planet, and anyway, if they didn't get lost they'd probably be attacked by some other Superheroes. It's only fair they have a guide to help them." And to mess up their equipment, she thought.

"Right, shall we do the interview then?" Bubbles said. The three Puffs, Shadow and Tails all proceeded into the room. Blossom clicked on a tape recorder.

"Okay," she said, "tell us your accusations."

Shadow thought for a moment before speaking.

"Right. Sonic the Hedgehog was a hero on Mobius, especially after the war of liberation against Dr. Robotnik. Robotnik was the evil dictator who turned people into robots by the way. But he wasn't entirely happy afterwards… how can someone be happy in times of peace when they've only know war. To cut a long story short, he married a hedgehog called Amy Rose, who'd he thought a long side in the war. They had two children, a son called Manic, and a daughter, Sonna who you've just met."

Blossom shifted slightly. "I've never thought of Sonic as a father."

"No…" Shadow paused for a moment; he was trying to think of a good way to phrase this. "Nor did he, I think. He never really got over the war. The names of his children hint at this."

"What, Sonna and Manic?"

"His brother and sister," Tails explained. Shadow nodded to his companion.

"Maybe you should continue. You knew Sonic better than most."

"Okay," said Tails. "Sonic was frustrated, generally. Amy wanted him to settle down, but he didn't. He didn't have anything to settle down from though, and that frustrated him more. He also hated the movies and books about the war, many of which the government produced. He thought he'd suffered and given more then anyone else for the freedom of Mobius, so wanted more credit. He became increasingly angry as enough time passed for people to feel able to criticise things he'd done in the war, and as other people's rolls were recognised more. He also became distant, even from his friends.

"When a new evil Dr, Eggman, arrived, he jumped at the chance to take up being a hero again. I know he cared about people, but I also think he did it for the… well or the publicity. He also involved his children, but they were only five and ten." Tails stopped. He wiped his face, and drunk a glass of water. He was obviously struggling to talk about his friend like this. Shadow put a hand on his shoulder.

"I can continue if you like," he said kindly. Tails swallowed, but signalled he was okay, and continued himself.

"You see what Sonic didn't, couldn't understand was that people wanted to move on. We were very grateful for what he'd done, but we wanted to get on with our lives, not endlessly dwell on the past. Amy begged him and then ordered him to keep the kids out of his… dangerous exploits, but he wouldn't listen. So she divorced him, and tried to get the court to stop him from seeing his kids. I was handling his case, and when I told him there was no way he could win he flew off the handle. Me and knuckles decided to go to appeal personally to Amy on Sonic's behalf, but when we got there, he'd… he'd…" Tails tailed off. Shadow patted him on the shoulder again. The Fox took a deep breath. "Do you have a bathroom?" he sniffled.

"Buttercup, show him were the bathroom is," Blossom order, and her sister silently helped him out. Shadow waited for her to return before turning to Blossom.

"He hasn't actually been convicted yet, so I'll try to stick to facts. He was found by Tails and Knuckles shouting at his hysterical daughter with a recently fired gun in his hand by the bodies of his wife and son, who'd been shot. They apprehended him immediately, and Knuckles took Sonna away with him to the Floating Island as a foster parent. Sonic escaped from prison, and tried to take his daughter back from Knuckles, but I stopped him. Then we lost him, and never saw him again."

"And a few months latter, he turned up here," Blossom finished. "But it still doesn't seem like Sonic to commit a murder.

"Other things came out afterwards. Like that Robotnik hadn't, as was previously thought, died in fighting at the end of the war. It turned out that Sonic had shot him in cold blood after the doctor had surrendered."

"How come that only came out after he'd been arrested?" asked Bubbles.

"The only witness to the murder was Tails, but Sonic threaten him into keeping quite about it."

Bubbles was silent for a moment. She looked at Buttercup. "I've had a thought," she said. "About Superman. Know what I mean?"

Blossom jumped, but Buttercup had latched onto her sister's idea. "Yeah," she said, "tell Shadow about fifteen years ago…"

Blossom did, with a heavy heart. The old story about her killing Brick after he'd killed Superman, and how Sonic was the first witness. Shadow listened intently and then thought for a moment.

"I think there's something fishy about that story," he said, staring at Blossom.

"I knew it!" said Buttercup, "and she's always letting Sonic walk over her. She never did that before the incident."

"I see…" Shadow smiled, reassuringly. But Blossom wasn't reassured.

"No no, that's the true story..." she said far too quickly.

"Don't worry Blossom, its okay. You're not going to be hauled before a court for perjury if Sonic threatened you, and he can't hurt you or your family now."

"What are you saying?" Blossom flustered.

"Isn't it obvious?" Shadow nearly laughed, "It's clear that the truth lies behind that flimsy story. Sonic killed Superman, his wife and Brick, and threatened you into hushing it up."

Blossom was stunned. "That's ridiculous," she stammered in shock, "Sonic would never threaten me! I'm not scared of him!"

"Then how come you always do exactly what he says?" Buttercup pointed out. Bubbles nodded vigorously in support. Blossom couldn't believe it.

"Anyway," she sweated, "Sonic couldn't kill Superman! He's too weak."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Really, I would have thought he was perfectly able to. He's a very good fighter."

Now all three Puffs were slightly shocked. Sure, Sonic was a good commander, but they'd never seen him win a one-on-one fight!

"The evidence relating to the case is all down in the basement," Buttercup said eventually, "I'm sure you can have a look at it if you want."

Blossom wanted to protest, but she didn't. It would look suspicious if she had. Shadow smiled.

"Great," he sounded genuinely cheerful, "Tails can do that. I'll go look for Sonic!"

"You'll need a guide," Blossom felt on firmer ground now. "Buttercup, get Butch to assist him."

* * *

"Well, what do you think of that?"

The puffs were back up stairs now, at Blossom's desk. Buttercup and Bubbles considered Blossom's question.

"Well, that Shadow's a lot nicer then Sonic," Bubbles said, "and I defiantly believe his story."

"Yeah," said Buttercup, "And if Sonic was threatening you, he's going to get it! Come on Blossom, was that true."

"No it wasn't," snapped Blossom, "and I'd appreciate it if you two didn't jump in like that and encourage such wild speculation! I'm in charge here, you should have talked to me in private about it first!"

"Yep," said Bubbles happily, "You sure are in charge." Blossom blinked.

"You mean..." she said quietly.

"With no leader, the second in command takes over," Buttercup smiled. "You Blossom." The Pink puff paused for a moment, and then drew her self up to her full height. They were right, she was in charge now.

"When are you going move in to his office?" Bubbles asked. Blossom paused.

"Not just yet. It would look like I was usurping him. Everyone should be told and given a chance to object to my leadership before then. But since I'm temporally in charge…" Blossom smiled. Bubbles and Buttercup semi-mocked jumped to attention. Blossom chuckled to her self.

"Bubbles, go search Sonic's office. I want every inch gone over in detail; it might give us a clue to his whereabouts. Buttercup I want you to arrange a general meeting for all the members of the SSR at nine o'clock sharp tomorrow morning. They all need to be informed, and to be given the chance to voice there opinions. Then we can decide how much of our resources we should dedicate to catching him."

"What are you going to do?" asked Buttercup as she set off.

"I'm going to call General Smith and tell him what's happening, and then I'm going to call the President and inform him. Once I've done that," she smiled "I'm going to do what I've always wanted to do."

"What?"

"Get some cubical walls for this desk."

* * *

Blossom arrived at home on time for the first time in years. She was, of course, going back in later, to find accommodation for the mobians when they got back. But for now, she was intending to cook super for her kids, and to be a good mum. They weren't in when she opened the door, but she knew this: Eddy had taken them to the doctors, who were checking on Edwards wound. They were hoping to take the stitches out today.

So she walked into the kitchen and made herself a cup of tea, before heading for the lounge to sit down. When she opened the door, she was surprised to find the light on, but hadn't got as far as thinking that Eddy was wasting electricity again when she spotted someone the last person she expected to see.

"Hi Blossom," said Sonic cheerfully, "How was your day?"

* * *

Okay, thanks for reading. It would be really useful to receive some reviews from you, especially details about which particular versions of "Sonic" you are familiar with, just so I know what you know, and don't miss anything. Thanks for reading. 


	5. Parallel Lives

The history Sonic tells here was written by mg34, notme.It draws from as many sources of Sonic as it can, so there will he canonical inaccuracies. But that's what fan fiction is for. I think.

**

* * *

5. Parallel Lives **

Up in the sky, there was another ship. Unlike the earlier one, it sent no hailing radio call. Instead, its owner looked for somewhere quiet to land. He had a job to do. He had to do it quickly. And he had to make sure that no one knew it had ever been done.

* * *

Blossom recovered her composure very quickly. Fortunately for her, being a puff the tea didn't burn. 

"What are you doing here Sonic?" she said calmly, as her slid her hand naturally into her pocket.It griped round her mobile. Sonic looked at her.

"You should really do something about that back door," Sonic ignored her question, "but anyway, how was your day?" Blossom hesitated slightly.

"Interesting," she said calmly. "It turns out that you're a murderer." She tried to make it sound as if it was a normal thing to say. She was one too of course. But there were differences.

"Really, who from?" Sonic also seemed completely calm.

"I don't have to tell you that, do I?" Blossom couldn't help but smile, slightly evilly too. "You're not really in a position to tell me what to do."

"I'm in a perfect position," Sonic was sounding as smug as ever. "You will help me Blossom, or my tongue will finally slip."

Blossom would normally be intimidated. But today she advanced across the room towards him, cutting off all his escape routes.

"I'd lie," she said simply, shaking slightly with a mix of emotions. "I'd say that you killed Superman, and intimidated me in to silence."

"That's rubbish."

"Yes, but it's my word against yours. Who do you think they would believe? Blossom the Powerpuff Girl, saviour of humanity, defender of the weak, or Sonic the wife murderer?"

For the first time ever, Sonic looked worried, even scared. He'd come here to intimidate Blossom to helping him out, but was now completely snookered. His eyes flicked around slightly before looking at Blossom.

"Bl… Blossom I…"

"You have ten seconds to give me good reasons why I shouldn't bring the whole world crashing down on you!" Blossom whipped the Mobile out of her pocket, and powered up a small energy ball in the other hand, which hovered just above her palm, ready to blast Sonic if he tried anything. The Hedgehog himself for once seemed flustered.

"BECAUSE I'M INNOCENT!" he yelled. Blossom didn't even blink.

"Why should I believe that?" she whispered menacingly. "I've heard the evidence. You're as guilty as sin!"

"Let me rephrase that," Sonic said hurriedly, "Guilty of murder no, responsible for there deaths, yes! Heheehe," he laughed nervously. Blossom could see he was scared."

"Well I'm sure a court can decide that. Back on Mobius." She grabbed him and started to punch numbers into the phone.

"You can't!"

"Why not?" Blossom was almost laughing herself now. Finally, she would be free.

"Because I won't get a fair trial." Blossom stopped.

"Why should I care?"

"I know you," Sonic said simply, "You won't be able to live with yourself. Another death on you're conscious? You'll go crazy."

Blossom wanted to thump him. More than that, she wanted to tell him he was wrong. But she couldn't, because she was afraid he was right.

"Fine then." She put the phone down, grabbed a near by copper pipe (which had been attached to the wall by Eddy when he was in a DIY mood, but didn't lead anywhere,) and rapped the lose end of it round Sonic's leg. "Now you're not going anywhere, I'll trial you here. If I feel your guilty, tough shit about your trial."

"Okay," said Sonic tetchily, "what have they told you?"

"All they know."

"Right. I'll start from the beginning then."

"You're not going to tell me your life's story are you," Blossom moaned. "There's no point playing for time, no ones coming to help you."

"No, I'm going to tell you my life's story so you can understand. And I think you will…

"I grew up in a green and lush zone, with my family and my siblings. We were only eight years old when Robotnik came. He used to be a friend off ours called Dr Kintobor, until an accident with the Chaos Emeralds turned him evil," Sonic briefly looked at Blossom, the pink puff remembering what Sonic had said earlier about her.

"He soon took over the Zone with his dammed robots made from animals," Sonic continued. "Of course he paid the King Acorn for the land before he took it over, and then kept the atrocities he committed quiet from them. But no one outside cared anyway." He now sounded angry, "They were getting good money from Robotnik, why should they care where he got it from?

"Of course we cared. Once our parents had been slaughtered be those faceless killing machines, me, Manic my green aggressive brother, and Sonna my pink happy sister spent our time fighting Robotnik and trying to thwart his plans. They looked up to me as there leader, although they didn't enjoy being bossed around most of the time."

"They sound like Bubbles and Buttercup," said Blossom before she could stop her self.

"I dumped their bodies in a ditch because if I'd carried them any further the robots would have killed me too," Sonic said with almost no emotion. But as Blossom looked up again, se noticed that Sonic's eyes had gone slightly red. "If they were still alive, by any chance, they defiantly weren't after the robots found them." He sniffed. "We were very close. At least as close as you are to your sisters."

Blossom tried not to show any emotion. "You have some way to go to justify murder," she said.

"What, Robotnik's? I think that was justified, by YOUR standards for justifiable murder!" He calmed down again. "Sorry I'll get on with it. I was completely alone, but no for long. Robotnik soon deposed the Acorns, and took over the planet. This produced a storm of people who suddenly wanted to fight alone side me. We founded a group of freedom fighters. That was where I first met Tails, Amy, Shadow and Knuckles eventually, and Sally." Sonic drifted off for a minute. Blossom blinked.

"Sally?" she said.

"Princess Sally Acorn," Sonic finally had emotion in his voice, and it sounded like a mixture of happy and sad memories. "My love, my brick," he laughed ironically. "In ever sense of the word. We fought a constant losing battle, burring friends and colleagues in shallow graves, constantly on the run and living in fear, but she was always there for me. I loved her more then anything, even myself. She was a one off, completely unique, and totally special. She kept my spirits up in the darkest time, and she gave me something to fight for other then revenge."

Blossom was no fool. "So when she died," she said with a tinge of sadness, "you responded by killing Robotnik when you got him. Right?"

Sonic looked down. "Yeah," he said. "I don't think I need to go into details. You know how I felt."

"I killed Superman in the heat of the moment. You killed Robotnik in cold blood."

"You killed _Superman_, I killed _Robotnik_. There is a difference!"

"He was entitled to a trial. Just as much as you are."

"Oh, and Superman wasn't."

"I'm trying to be objective Sonic. My past has nothing to do with it."

"Fine," said Sonic. "I'll continue. The peace came, we reinstated the Acorn Royal family, and I married Amy. But those bastards wanted revenge."

"Who?"

"The Acorns of course! They blamed me for the death of there daughter, and wanted to destroy me for it. They tried to right me out of the history books, crediting Shadow with MY achievements: he was always more media friendly, and he was a real suck up."

"I found him very pleasant."

Sonic spat. "You would. He played along of course; he loved the attention, the fame and the money. Lots of supposed freedom fighters came out of the wood work, writing books and giving interviews, claiming that my desire for revenge and insistence on doing everything myself prolonged the war and increased the casualties."

"Did no one stand by you," Blossom was finally getting swept up in the story.

"Only Knuckles and Tails. And my kids. They meant the world to me. So I took them with me. I wanted to bond with them, and to bring them up to fight for freedom and justice and liberty. I bet you'd disapprove of that."

"I'm trying to be objective Sonic," Blossom said calmly. "How old where they?"

"Manic was 10 and Sonna was 5." Blossom jumped. The ages of Edward and MJ.

Sonic continued. "So when Tails told me that Amy was going to take them away from me for ever I… I snapped. I couldn't handle loosing my entire family again. So I did something I have regretted for the rest of my life."

"You killed them."

"No. I called a hit man, Nack the Weasel, and arranged for him to do it. But I felt guilt almost immediately, so I tried to stop him. I couldn't get in contact with him though, so I went to the house at the aranged timefor the hitto see him personally. I found him lurking in the kitchen, and told him the hit was off. He refused; he said it would damage his reputation. So I attacked him, but we were surprised halfway though by Amy and Manic. I was distracted, only momentarily, but Nack is one of the best fucking shooters on the planet. So he shot Amy and Manic, to make sure there were no witnesses. We had another brief struggle, and I got his gun off him. Then he fled, and I was left with the bodies of my son and wife,the murder weapon,and my hysterical daughter." Sonic now was struggling. He swallowed hard. "They even took her away from me, gave her to Knuckles, KNUCKLES! He only cares about his sodding emeralds. Once I'd failed to rescue her, I fled the planet. I had nothing left on it anyway. Dr Eggman was keen to get rid of me, so he supplied a ship. And I arrived here two weeks latter. With nothing."

Blossom paused for a moment. "Got any evidence to support your story?" Sonic looked up.

"No."

"Then why should I care? You arrived here with nothing and filled the void by making my life hell!"

"HEY! I've given a lot for this stupid organisation, and I GAVE you a life. If it wasn't for me you would have been burnt to a toast by this government fifteen years ago!"

"That was your decision. But I killed in completely different circumstances. And I didn't hire a hit man!"

"So you believe me! How can you send me back then, the Acorns want my blood, I'll be hung in record time!"

Blossom said nothing. She just started dialling her phone.

"BLOSSOM PLEASE!" Sonic screamed in wild panic, "Can't you see the truth in the story. Fate is laughing at us. LOOK AT IT! We both lost our true loves. We both killed in revenge and had someone cover up for us! We both tried again at life and love. We both have, or had, little but our two children! THE OLDEST A BOY AND THE YOUNGEST A GIRL!" YOU SAID YOURSELF THAT MY SIBLINGS WHERE LIKE YOURS!" he calmed down, and pleaded with his voice: "We've lived parallel lives Blossom; a few differences have changed everything. You can't tell me you wouldn't have done the same thing, if you had no one but Edward and MJ and Eddy tried to take them away from you…"

The sound of keys rattled in the front door. Eddy was home with the kids. Blossom paused, and Sonic tried once more.

"Please Blossom, I'm begging you…"

* * *

What would you do?Please Review, and ask questions or make comments as you wish. 

Oh yes, and the next chapter is very cameo heavy, so if you have any Superhero (or not so hero) you'd particularly like to see, please tell me, and I'll try to work them in. Thanks.


	6. Testing Times

Okay, this chapter has a lot of cameos, so I need a lot of disclaimers, so I'll do all of them: I do no own Blossom, Bubbles, Buttercup, Boomer, Butch, Brick, Eddy, (Cartoon Network, I think) Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Superman, Batman, the Green Lantern, Flash, Wonder Women, (DC comics) Spiderman, Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Gray, (Marvel) Sonic, Shadow, Amy, Manic, Sonna, Knuckles, Tails, Nack, Dr Robotnik, Dr Kintobor, Dr Eggman, Sally Acorn, (Sega) Goku, Vegeta or Krillin (DBZ). But you knew that.

Oh yes, the characters might behave slightly differently here for comedy value.

**

* * *

6. Testing Times**

Blossom arrived at work the following morning. She'd already decided not to tell anyone about Sonic… quite yet. The last thing she needed right now was a barrage of questions. I not to long a time she'd have to do something very difficult, so she needed a clear head.

"Blossom, can I…"

"I need a clear head Bubbles!" Blossom had reached her desk, which with walls was now an office. Bubbles paused.

"I'll get you a coffee then, but can you look at Sonic's office first? I've finished going through it."

"Okay Bubbles." As her sister strode off, Blossom gently pushed open the door that had _Sonic the Hedgehog, Leader _emblazoned across it. It took a moment's thought to force herself not to knock first. Old habits die hard, she thought.

The office looked like in normally did, except Bubbles efforts meant it was fairly clean. And the smell of Sonic's trainers had… faded. Some of it remained though, as an ever present reminder of the room's former owner. Blossom tired not to consider where the smell was now.

Still, for Bubble's hype, Blossom couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. See was still looking when Buttercup entered.

"Everyone's ready," she said with an air of anticipation. Blossom nodded.

"Anything else I should know?"

"Only that the Assembly Room is very dusty, and that Boomer and Butch won't be here because they're still with our visitors."

"Good," Blossom said. "Lets hope no super villain has planted a bomb then." She chuckled slightly. "How is Butch?"

"Moaning about Shadow mainly," Buttercup laughed. "He says that he never stops and that he hurt his wrist being dragged around at supersonic speed all day."

"Tell him that he's just slow."

"I did. So he decided to show me some of the benefits of not rushing things…" Buttercup's mind was elsewhere now, but Bubbles arrived with the coffee.

"I don't get your point about the office," Blossom said after thanking her. Bubbles smiled.

"I know," she said. Blossom frowned.

"Oh, you're going to show me so you can prove you're smart."

Bubbles chuckled. "Sort of," she admitted, "look at this:"

She pulled a filing away from the wall, to revel a fridge behind it. Opening it up displayed a collection of ready meals. Before Blossom could react, she'd moved a picture of Superman to revel a microwave. Next she slid the desk away, and opened a trapdoor underneath it. Then, by pressing a button, a sofa raised out of it. A bit more shifting of seemingly innocuous office furniture had reviled a television, an oven, a bed and rather disconcertingly a toilet.

"Well?" the Blue puff queried smugly. Blossom was stunned.

"I thought Blonde was your natural hair colour."

"IT IS… oh. Is that an insult or a compliment?"

"Your choice Bubbles," Blossom felt the bed.

"Hey, weren't we in an office a moment ago?" Buttercup had finally returned to the real world.

"So Sonic _lived _in his office…" Blossom mused.

"Yep!" Bubbles was proud. "That means he has nothing in his life other than his job. I'm sure we can use this!"

"Actually Bubbles," Buttercup put on a condescending tone, "it only tells us that since his only home was here, he could be anywhere."

"That's true," Bubbles said, "but once we find out a bit more about him, I'm sure it'll help. But who was really close to Sonic?"

"Well we can figure that out latter," said Blossom quickly. "For now, I better go and address the waiting heroes." She paused, and turned to her sisters.

"What time are the mobians back here for lunch?"

"Tails is down in the lab, but the rest? Not till one."

"Great," Blossom pulled then closer, "because I was looking through some files last night. This one refers to a shiny gem being brought in by Michelangelo, one of those turtles. It also says that Sonic seemed uneasy about it and ordered it to be put away in the vaults, without any of the Puff's or Ruff's being told."

"Oh I get it," said Buttercup. "You've been in charge for 24hours and you're already riffling through all the restricted files! Why is it significant that they wouldn't tell us?"

"Because… oh I never told you this." Blossom considered what she was going to say. "Because we're powered by chaos energy. I reckon the emerald those creatures are looking for is in our vaults. I want you two to fine it and hide it in my "office" before they get back. Okay?"

"Got it," said Bubbles, "good luck in the lions den…"

* * *

Blossom pushed open the door to the assembly room. It was full of superheroes and dust. Blossom coughed slightly.

"Why's is so dusty here?" she asked no one in particular.

"Because this room hasn't been used for fifteen year," Robin suggested. Blossom nodded. Superman had believed in discussing a lot of his decisions, but who'd every heard of Sonic listening to other people's opinions, let alone actively seeking them out! Maybe some of the criticism of him by the Acorn's hadn't been totally unjustified.

She wondered up on to the stage, and tapped the microphone.

"Hello? Testing, testing. Okay, right, hello people, can I have some quiet please."

There was very little response. "Hello, would you all please be QUIET!" A hush spread quickly across the room. Blossom relaxed.

"Thank you. Now I've called you here today because…"

"Hey, where's the boss?" Beast Boy piped up. Raven hit him. Blossom blinked.

"If you'd listen I'd answer that question," Blossom spoke like a school teacher for a moment, "Raven, keep your hands to your self. Anyway, Sonic. It appears our esteemed leader…"

"He's not that esteemed," said Flash. Blossom shot him a look.

"The hedgehog who was leading this organisation…"

"He was hardly leading it," said Cyclops thoughtfully, "more sort of observing as it ran wildly out of control…"

"… has been accused of murder and is on the run, which puts me in charge so STOP INTERUPTING ME!" Blossom bellowed. She looked at the shocked faces in the audience below her. A small voice in the back of her head said: _Sonic would have shouted like that._ She ignored it, and got on with giving them the details omitting the previous evening's discussion of cause and any link to Superman's death…

"So," she eventually finished, "that's the situation. I was wondering if any of you had any thoughts on how we should peruse this." She looked at the Assembled heroes. Some looked shocked. Some disinterested. Crash Bandicoot was asleep, idiot thought Blossom. She paused. No one said anything for a while.

"Well?" she prompted hopefully.

"I don't know," said Jean Gray, "it's hard to imagine anyone lying to us for so long." Blossom squirmed, but nobody noticed.

"Gee, I hope he's okay," said Starfire nervously. "If he's out there on his own a murderous gang creature could eat him!"

While Robin tried to explain to Starfire that murderous gangs were people, not creatures, others voiced there opinions.

"Murder is not in the spirit of the organisation," the Green Lantern said bluntly. "We should treat him like any other criminal."

"I agree," said Flash. "What, why can't I agree with you?"

"Yes," said Batman solemnly, as always. "There is a difference between murdering people and destroying villains. He should be trialled like an ordinary citizen."

Blossom could accept that sentiment. When they'd first been created, she and her sisters had destroyed the RowdyRuff Boys. That was what heroes and Villains did; there was nothing unnatural about that, it had certainly never got in the way of a relationship. But latter, she had (supposedly) murdered Brick. That had been treated differently by Butch and Boomer, and that was understandable.

"The issue could be," she said calmly, "that he might not get a fair trial if we extradite him to his home planet."

"Then we must trial him here," said Cyclops determinedly.

"But, if he's admitted to killing anyone," Wonder Women butted in, "Then he can not remain leader. We will not follow a killer."

Blossom was about to respond when an ironic chuckle was emitted from the back of the room. Everyone looked round. Blossom sighed. She should have known this was coming.

"Listen to yourselves, gabling like a bunch of school girls about something you can't understand!" Vegeta had stood up, smiling to himself. "As someone how has actually killed, I think we let bygones be bygones, and congratulate him on his efficiency. Surly it's reassuring to know that our leader has got some guts?"

This prompted the obvious reaction, as the Sayain Prince had probably intended. Before he got over whelmed by protestation, Wolverine stood up in front of him.

"For once the smug bastards right," he hissed, "it is good to know that we've had someone in charge who would not hesitate if the a tough decision had to be made."

"Are you saying Superman would hesitate?" threaten Flash from a distance of two millimetres from Wolverines nose. Superman was still a prickly subject around the SSR.

"That's exactly what the common scum is saying," Vegeta said. Wolverine whirled round and hit him.

Blossom looked at her watch, as the fight in the mess in front of her enveloped everyone. They'd only been aware that Sonic was missing for ten minutes, and already the natural tension in the organisation had exploded out of control. To get them to stop, Blossom had to fire a blast straight down the centre of the room. It mercifully only hit Krillin, and everyone stopped, frozen in there current position. Wolverine was grappling with Cyclops, Spiderman had webbed about ten people up, Raven was poised to hurl half the furniture across the room, and Vegeta had his hands round Goku's neck. They were all looking at Blossom.

"What's come over you all?" she shouted. "Have you all lost your minds! Here we are without a leader, with the press poised to jump on our backs, facing a decision that could decide the future of this entire organisation, and you can't even except other people's rights to an opinion!" Silence. "Vegeta, release Goku. And the other hand. Thank you. Now, shall we try again?"

* * *

"I had to disband it after the third fight," Blossom finished. Sonic laughed. Blossom didn't. "It's not funny, standards have slipped, and it's only been half a day!"

"Your telling me," Sonic said, "Why are you at home at lunch time?"

"I came to feed you!"

"In that case, what on earth is in this Sandwich?"

"Hedgehog." Now it was Sonic's turn not to find something funny. Blossom looked at her watch. "Okay, I'm going now. I've got lots of work to do to find you."

Sonic nodded, and she locked him in the basement again. Sonic sighed, and turned on the television. He wondered how long it would be before Blossom started treating them with the contempt that he had!

* * *

Okay, Thanks for reading. Please Review and ask questions. More will happen next chapter. Thanks. 


	7. Difficult Discoveries

**7. Difficult Discoveries**

Buttercup threw another shopping trolley away. "Why do we keep all this crap?" she asked. "I mean, I know we've got to keep mystical items that might endanger the planet safe, but is chucking them in the basement safe? And why are there so many broken refrigerators?"

"They're a cause of Global warming," Bubbles replied, "but they can't be put in landfills."

"It's like a landfill down here!" Buttercup threw some more rubbish and Nazi gold away.

"What are we looking for anyway?" Bubbles moaned, as Buttercup's rubbish landed where she'd been digging."

"Some sort of gem."

"I've found lot's of Gems! They're all in magical pendants and wizards staffs and stuff. How do we tell which ones…" she tailed off.

"This one's loose, apparently," Buttercup said, but her sister didn't respond. She leant down and picked something up silently, her eyes completely transfixed on it. It sent a light blue glow onto her face, but rather than dazzling her, it was soothing. And sort of hypnotic.

Eventually, Buttercup turned round. "Bubbles, what's…" but she stopped when she saw the Chaos Emerald in Bubble's hand. She drifted over and stared at it over her shoulder.

"Wow…" she spoke in hushed tones. Bubbles nodded, but her eyes didn't shift from the gem for a moment. Buttercup tentatively reached out and touched it. Almost immediately, Bubbles elbowed her in the ribs, sending her flying backwards into the wall with a crash.

"Oh my, Buttercup, are you alright?" Bubble's trance was broken. Buttercup scrambled up again.

"What the hell did you do that for!" she screamed. Bubbles blinked, and glanced down at her hand, that was now by her side.

"I don't know…" she said blankly. "Nervous twitch?"

"Oh forget it!" the green Puff snapped. "Is that the Emerald, or not?"

"It is," Bubbles hadn't stopped looking at it again. Buttercup strode over to her.

"Give it."

"NO! WHY SHOULD I ALWAYS GIVE YOU MY STUFF!" Bubbles shouted. Then she blinked. Buttercup actually looked scared. Bubbles glanced around. She'd blown a large proportion of rubbish away with that scream.

"Either give it to me, or put it down," Buttercup persisted.

"Why?"

"Because you're glowing blue!"

Bubbles looked at herself. She was glowing. She sighed and put the emerald down. The glowing ceased. But she didn't feel as good. Buttercup looked at the gem herself. It started glowing green. She forced herself to look away.

"We can't give that to Blossom Bubbles, BUBBLES!" the blue puff looked up again.

"Sorry," she said. "But what can we do about it?" Buttercup thought for a moment.

"Get me a box…"

* * *

Butch looked up from his newspaper. Shadow was standing beside him. 

"Not here," the black hedgehog said. "We need to move on."

"Hey, my coffee hasn't arrived yet," Butch protested, "why don't you run round the city just once more?" Shadow shook his head.

"Sonic may be a murdering pin cushion, but he's no coward. If he saw I was alone, he'd fight me. And he always keeps a look out. So no show and he's not here."

Butch sighed. "Why do we only check the towns and cities?" he asked. "When… if I were on the run I'd hide in the countryside. Surely he has some experience of it from the war?"

"Not Sonic's style," Shadow said confidently. "He was awful at living off the land. But we never really did. We used to move from friendly house to friendly house, living off the kindness of our supporters. Like missionaries, revolutionaries, freedom fighters…"

"Or terrorists," Butch finished, as he paid for the coffee. Shadow was not pleased with that comparison."

"Come on," he said, "if we're quick, we'll have another twenty cities down before the end of the day." He grabbed Butch, who was downing his coffee. "And I'm very quick!"

The remains of the newspaper hung in the air, drifting in the breeze long after they'd gone.

* * *

"Aha," said Knuckles triumphantly, "there is a 1 higher level of Chaos Energy then normal here!" he handed the detector to Boomer, who handed it to Sonna. Knuckles trod the ground gently. 

"Looks marshy," Sonna said. She prodded it gently. Knuckles nodded.

"Good. My Emerald could be under here…"

"I hate to burst your bubbles," Boomer interrupted, "but you can't exactly swim around in the marsh until…" Knuckles grabbed an air tank from somewhere and dived in, digging until he reached water, and then swimming away.

"…you find it," Boomer finished lazily. Sonna laughed.

"Dad's very resourceful," she said. Boomer thought for a moment.

"Knuckles is your dad?"

"Well, yes."

"But you're a hedgehog."

"He's my adopted farther," Sonna explained gently. She could tell that Boomer wasn't the brightest spark.

"So your biological father is Sonic, right?" Of course he wasn't dumb. Sonna clicked for a moment, but didn't answer. Boomer waited.

"Yes," she said eventually.

"What do you remember of him?"

"I remember that we used to have fun with him," Sonna's voice was deadpan, rather like Sonic's when he'd been speaking to Blossom. "He was so enthusiastic about getting us to fight robots. Almost as if that was the only time he was truly happy. We had good times."

Boomer knew the importance of information. When he'd been a criminal, he'd learnt the art of getting people to tell him more them than they wanted to, without heavy prompting. The idea was to find a subject they were dying to talk about, and then prodding them in the right direction with easy questions. He tried it now.

"Is that all you remember?" Sonna shrugged.

"I've suppressed the rest. The quite of the floating island helps that."

"Peaceful is it?"

"Oh yes, nothing ever happens. Can get boring, but it's better than all the dinner parties Mum used to hold."

"Your family had lots of friend then."

"Yes, but Dad… Sonic only ever seemed to talk to Dad or Tails. He trusted very few people. He always went to them when he had a problem too."

"Umhum," Boomer made a mental note, before sticking a hard question in:

"Do you think he murdered your Mum?" Sonna looked away.

"That's what the evidence says…"

"But what do you say?"

Sonna shook her head. "I was young at the time. But I think Dad thinks he's innocent."

"WHAT! Knuckles? He doesn't strike me as the type," Boomer said.

"Well maybe he more hopes. He doesn't trust many people, but he, eventually trusted Sonic. He doesn't what to think that he was wrong."

Before Boomer could ask anything more, Knuckles burst out of the water.

"Nothing here," he said grumpily, flicking mud off. "Just have to continue the slow methodical search. He picked up the detector and paced slowly off. Boomer sighed. They'd been searching all day, and it had been so slow and methodical, he could still see his car.

* * *

Blossom glanced at the maps in the situation room. She glanced up at Batman. 

"So Slade has got the President in the centre of the building, and all three entrances are guarded by robots."

"Yes."

"And you plan to give him the ransom, and attack him as he escapes with the President?"

Batman nodded. "It's what we normally do. It's more dramatic that way, and our ground team is more experienced at dealing with that sort of rescue."

"If you've got it all planed, why do you need me?" It was only a half question. Blossom was scowling the plans of the base. Some two-bit villain would kidnap the American President on her first full day, she thought.

"We need your permission," said Batman, "we can't just hand over ransom money."

Blossom looked at the plans once more.

"Who's on the scene?"

"The Titans, as he's their villain, so we believe they're best to deal with it."

"And he's best to deal with them," Blossom said. Batman looked up.

"What do you mean?" he asked, but Blossom wasn't listening. She grabbed an internal phone, and started dialling numbers.

"Hello… Great, listen, dispatch Goku to that presidential kidnap thing… Yes, Goku… what for? To negotiate, why do you think!" she put the phone down, and turned to Batman. "Put me in contact with Robin, and get Flash in here now." Batman looked pensive, but he did.

"Hello Blossom?" Robin's voice came across the radio, "have you cleared the ransom."

"Nope," she said calmly, "I want you to do what you'd normally do in these situations. Attack."

"But…" Robin flustered, "Slade could kill the President at any moment, and we can't beat all those robots!"

"I would have though that you'd have welcomed the challenge," Blossom said commandingly, "and Slade won't kill his hostage, according to this file I have," she flicked through it, "he's bankrupt, so he will probably welcome the jail time. He defiantly won't kill him prime bargaining tool. You just attack, all three entrances, and leave the rest to me." She switched off the radio, and turned round, as Flash entered. "Don't get comfortable," she instructed, "we have a crisis, and you are going to sort it."

"How?" asked the stunned former Justice Leaguer.

"Just go to the scene of the Presidential kidnapping at full speed, grab the President and bring him back here. Okay?"

"But all the entrances are guarded!"

"One isn't."

"Which one?"

"The one Goku's going to create."

"Oh, that entrance. See you in twenty minutes." Flash shot off, and Blossom walked back to her 'office'. The plan was so perfect she saw no reason to wait for it to succeed.

When she reached it, Bubbles and Buttercup where already waiting for her.

"Blossom!" squeaked Bubbles, slightly panicked, "half the worlds press corps want a statement on the President's kidnapping!"

"Only half," Blossom asked, "what about the others?"

"They all want a statement on Sonic too," Buttercup said.

"Well, let's let them stew for a bit," said Blossom calmly, "what I want to know is did you find that Chaos Emerald?"

Bubbles and Buttercup looked at each other. "Sort of," they said.

"Oh, what do you mean?"

"It had a strange effect on us," Bubbles said, "so we put it in a box and locked it in a safe."

"Humm," Blossom mused, "must have been the Chaos Energy, Sonic said it was crazy."

"Sonic told you?" Buttercup said.

"Before he disappeared of course," said Blossom slightly too quickly, and she explained about the conversation they'd had while MJ had been missing. She still didn't tell them about the previous night though.

"Wow," said Bubbles, "he really told you a lot."

"Not that much," said Blossom, "but you two should work on finding him, and keeping that Emerald safe for our guests. But don't tell them yet."

"What about the President?"

"That's under control, so you two concentrate on getting Sonic. Okay."

They nodded and left. Blossom leaned back in her chair. This job wasn't too hard, she thought. No wonder Sonic had so much time to mock her.

"Oh look, the cute little fox is here!" she heard Bubbles say. She heard Tails say hi, before the fox gently knocked on Blossoms office wall; being a cubical, it didn't have a door.

"Can I come in," he asked. Blossom looked at her watch. She had about five minutes."

"Sure Tails, what can I do?"

"Well, I've been looking into Shadow's idea that Sonic killed Superman."

"Oh yes," Blossom had forgotten about that. "Any luck?"

"If you mean have I found any anomalies, yes." Tails produced a report. "Its only one, but it doesn't fit the official version what ever way you slice it. You see, eyewitness accounts said that you were bleeding on your hands at the end, but there is no trace of you're blood any where on Brick's body. So I don't think you can have killed him." For some one who looked so nervous, he talked with great confidence. And he'd hit the nail on the head. Blossom looked at hers briefly, before grabbing some paper and a pen.

"I'm sorry," she said as she wrote, "but I can't help you with that." She handed him the note. Tails looked at it.

_I know who did kill Superman, but it wasn't Sonic and it was a crime of passion. Sonic covered up for them, that's why the story doesn't work. Please don't say anything._

He thought for a moment.

"That makes sense," he said. "I'll try a different line of inquiry."

"And you won't say anything?"

"Of course not. Sonic didn't." He left, happily, presumably because his friend was innocent of fourth murder. Blossom shook her head. They really looked up to Sonic, she thought. Maybe there was something more to him as a person than the hero twisted by jealousy she saw. He'd certainly had an impact on Tails. For a moment, Blossom was aware that she felt sorry for Sonic. But in the back of her mind, was the thought that Sonic was right. They had lived parallel lives, and she was feeling sorry for herself.

These depressing thoughts were eliminated by a huge cheer. Blossom suddenly felt rather smug. Batman leant round the side of her office.

"It's just come through on the television, your plan worked!" he sounded surprised. This meant Blossom feel really smug. "I suppose you'll want to do some interviews now?" Batman continued. Blossom listen to all the cheers around the room, and then shook her head.

"No. Flash, Goku and the Titians should get the credit. But if anyone wants an interview on the Sonic situation, I'll do that. See to it, will you."

Batman looked surprised again. "Yes Blossom," he said and he left without questioning further. Blossom leaned back on her chair, and put her feet on the desk.

"Oh, and Bruce," she said, using his alter ego's name.

"Yes?"

"You did a good job today too, but in future could youknockbefore you enter? Thank you."

* * *

Okay, please review. I'm sorry these chapters keep getting longer; the next one will be shorter. Oh yes, some of this chapter was inspired by a suggestion from CamillaMB, so if you have an idea, please tell me and I might use it. Thanks for reading, more coming soon. 


	8. A Crash Course in Flying

Here come two characters that haven't appeared yet.

**

* * *

8. A Crash Course in Flying**

Blossom woke up when she rolled over on to the sports section of the newspaper. She blinked for a moment before sitting up.

"Morning darling," said Eddyin anunreasonably cheerfully for the morning, "there's a cup of tea to your right."

Blossom grabbed it and took a sip, before glancing down at the sports section. "Don't you want this?" she asked.

"Nah, Chelsea… I mean the Yankees won again. Anyway, I'm too busy reading the news." He smiled, and started flicking through the paper. "Ah, here's a good editorial. Quote, despite the obvious bravery of the heroes who actually performed the rescue, some of the credit must go to the temporary leader of the SSR, Blossom Panner, who has clearly developed a level head, good judgement, and an element of modesty to compliment her never questioned leadership abilities. Insiders report that she took personal charge of the situation, planed and coordinated the President's rescue, as well as dealing with the difficult circumstances caused by Sonic's disappearance with professionalism, courage and firm leadership. She has surely staked a strong claimto get thejob permanently." Eddy handed her the paper. "Good day yesterday?"

"Challenging," Blossom replied, after some consideration and another sip of tea.

"As challenging as today's going to be?"

Blossom blinked. "How?" Eddy laughed.

"It's Saturday! You're going to try to teach MJ how to fly."

Blossom smiled to her self. "Oh yes," she said. "We better get started then."

"I'll start breakfast," Eddy got up. Blossom was about to go for a shower, when something struck her.

"Were all the newspapers complimentary?"

"Even the tabloids," Eddy laughed. "But what were they going to do? The President had just been kidnapped, which paper was not going to run that story? And they all had to try to find a different take on the story, so they all mentioned you at some point. According to the internet."

"You had a busy morning, looking all that up."

"Not really, it's eleven o'clock."

* * *

Blossom responded to this by having a quick shower before heading down stairs. In the kitchen, Eddy was frying away, while Edward was trying to ignore MJ, who was eating raw chicken. Blossom sighed. She really wished MJ had accepted their offer to cure her.

"Eddy, do you have to serve MJ raw meat while we're eating."

"She was hungry," protested Eddy. MJ nodded vigorously, sending a few bits flying from her mouth. Edward pushed his plate away.

"I'm not hungry," he said, with a look of distain on his face. MJ shrugged and swallowed the chicken.

"Can I have yours then?" The acid that had built up in her mouth gave her voice a slight slur. Edwardhanded his plate over, and MJ attacked the meat, giggling slightly. She looked up at Blossom. "You're going to teach me how to fly mum, aren't you?" she said excitedly.

"Yes, but don't talk with your full," Blossom replied. MJ jiggled excitedly, and kept on eating, so Blossom turned to her son. "Do you want to come too Edward?" She'd asked this question a lot. Edward shook his head, as he had every time.

"My stomach wound hurts," he said but that wasn't the real reason. Still Blossom found it hard to accept that he simply didn't want to. It seemed unnatural for a ten year old boy not to want to be able to fly. She shrugged.

"Okay, you go and lie down. MJ, go upstairs and put something warm on, it can get pretty cold up high."

MJ scampered off, Edward followed more gingerly. Blossom watched him go.

"I really hope there aren't any long term side affects from that wound, Him has some pretty nasty tricks."

"It'll be fine," Eddy reassured, "Him was trying to kill Edward, so I don't think he thought as far ahead as a plan B."

"I just don't like it, he's still in pain."

"He's not! He's just a good play actor. I guarantee this afternoon that I'll have him out in the back garden playing baseball or something, and he'll be as active as he ever was." He handed Blossom two plates. "You better feed the thing in the basement anyway."

Blossom nodded. "Thanks Eddy. I think I'll eat with him, he could probably do with some company. And I want to gloat a bit."

* * *

Sonic distractedly poked at his sausage. Blossom looked at it.

"Its pork," she reassured. Sonic paused.

"I see you had a big success yesterday," he said. "Live on television and all."

"Yes, I think the SSR came out of it very well."

"And you let the heroes who did it take the credit." Sonic looked up at her. "That must have made you very popular," he said spitefully.

"Yes, I think it did."

Sonic tapped his foot for a moment. "They like your leadership then?" he asked. Now he sounded depressed.

"I think so."

"Going to make it very hard for them when I take back over isn't it." Sonic spoke the words, but there was no conviction in his voice. He knew what was coming, but Blossom doubted that it made it any easier when she said it.

"Sonic, I don't think you will. They don't trust you… or the powerful members of the SSR don't trust you."

"It's a presidential appointment," Sonic once again protested with little vigour. Blossom nodded.

"True, but people like Wonder Women and Batman have the President's ear. And they won't want a killer in charge, and nor will he."

"Just about all of them have killed at some point," Sonic sulked, "including the person they're going to appoint." He looked at Blossom. She shifted slightly.

"Me?"

"Why not? You've got the talent, the looks – of a hero I mean, I don't know anything about what makes a human attractive – and the stomach. You appeal to both sides of the organisation: The 'truth and justice' side due to your background as a child hero, and the 'justice is revenge' side, I mean they think you killed Brick, your true love, because he killed Superman! You can't get much better than that. Do you want the job?"

Blossom hesitated, but decided not to lie. "Yes. Yes I do."

Sonic looked at his feet. "Thank you for being honest," he said, and Blossom could tell that he meant it. (Sonic was an awful liar, remember?) "I'd just like you to know that I think you're the best person for it. Under you, the SSR will go from strength to strength. And once I'm out the way, you won't have to worry about the truth getting out, will you?" Blossom nodded.

"I will need a second in command," she offered. Sonic didn't even blink.

"I don't need your pity Blossom. It is time I moved on, I think. Once Shadow's gone, I'll take my leave. Find another planet that needs my help or something."

"Find someone else to torment," added Blossom. Sonic chuckled.

"If you like," he said. "By the way, who's here with Shadow?"

Blossom paused for a moment. "Knuckles and Tails," she said. Sonic nodded.

"Right, they won't be here long then, so I won't be filling up your basement for ever!" he handed his plate back to Blossom, who took it up stairs with her, locking Sonic in the basement again. Only then did she consider why she'd omitted to tell Sonic about his daughter.

* * *

Blossom landed in a clearing in the woods. She put MJ down, who hopped around excitedly.

"You're going to teach me here? Aren't you, Aren't you?"

"Yes here will do," Blossom said. The trees would help give MJ a sense of how high she was and the ground was quite soft, just in case. "Now before we start, just remember that flying can be dangerous. Don't go higher than you feel safe to, keep an eye out for power cables at all time, and stay away from airports. Bit like flying a kite really."

"Okay, got it. Now teach me please!" MJ could barely keep still. Blossom hesitated.

"It's difficult," she said. "I never really learnt you see, so I'm not sure how to teach it." She floated off the ground a bit, trying to work out what she was actually doing. MJ, watched, and tried to strain herself off the ground.

"Ah, got it," Blossom said. "Stop trying MJ and listen." She landed. "It's all about sweeping our energy underneath and behind us, rather like a jet engine channel the air. That's why we leave an energy trail while flying."

"Okay got it!" MJ paused. "What energy?"

Dam, thought Blossom. "You know, the sparks that jump off you when you're angry, that sort." She powered up a small energy ball in her hand to show it. MJ looked worried.

"I don't think I can do that," she whimpered.

"Sure you can. It's…err… all about not thinking about it. Some superhuman creatures really need to concentrate when learning to use their powers, but to puffs it should just come naturally. You've just got to expect it to happen."

MJ blinked. "So what do I do?" There was confusion and worry in her bright pink eyes.

"Okay, see that tree over there. Throw the ball in your hand at it."

MJ looked at her hand. "I don't have a ball," she said.

"Don't look at the hand, just cup it as if you have a ball, believe you have a ball, and throw it."

MJ was always one for trying. She took her had all the way back and threw it all the way through. It was a good throw. And the tree exploded.

MJ jumped back and looked at her hands.

Blossom laughed. "See, you're a natural! Like your Mum!"

MJ nodded, concentrated, and two small energy balls flickered into life, one in each hand. She looked at them, gasping slightly. "Can I throw them again?" she asked, slightly in awe of herself.

"Sure, and try to keep up a steady rate of fire."

MJ did, bowling them down towards any target she felt like hitting. Blossom watched MJ go to work like and adorable little demon, she sure had the aggression of a superhero. Maybe it was the spider in her brain. Then, she noticed something.

"MJ," she called, "take a look down!" MJ did, and shrieked in surprise. She'd been concentrating so hard on her energy balls that she hadn't noticed that she'd lifted a few feet off the ground!

"MUM!" MJ flapped her hands around, trying to keep balanced. Blossom walked over and took her hand.

"It's okay MJ," she steadied her. "See, you're hovering!"

"I know, I… I want to come down!"

"Oh come on MJ, your higher than this when your hanging from the ceiling at home!" She lifted off the ground herself, and gently pulled MJ upwards. "See, perfectly safe…"

MJ swung her other hand round and grabbed on to Blossom. "Don't let go!" she squeaked.

"I'm not going to. Look we're above the trees."

"Okay, that's high enough! Can we go down now?"

"You can go down when ever you want MJ." The Spiderpuff looked around.

"HEY! YOU LET GO!"

"MJ you're flying!" Blossom said happily. MJ wobbled.

"I am?" her initial excitement returned. "How do I move sideways?" she asked.

* * *

The scope fitted neatly on to the top of the gun. Its owner nodded slightly. This couldn't be better. No witnesses. No noise. Just a moving target. And being one of the best shots in the universe, that was no problem.

* * *

MJ felt she was getting the hang of it. But she was hungry. So as she zipped around near her mum, she spotted a pigeon out of the corner of her eye. Without thinking about it, she fired and energy ball at it, which shot it down, and then caught it with a web line and dragged it towards her self. She was just about to bite into it, when Blossom spoke up.

"MJ, want are you…"

"What?" said MJ, trying to release the bird without Blossom seeing. No response. "Mum?" she turned round. Instinct suddenly took over and MJ yanked her self out of the way of an oncoming bullet she hadn't even seen or heard. It whistled passed her ear. The next one went through the space where her chest had been moments earlier. MJ responded by firing blasts in the general direction of where the bullets had come from, still surviving on instinct. The gun fire soon stopped, and the five year old human brain took over from the Spiderpuff instincts.

"MUM!" she shouted. Still no response.

She looked around desperately, holding bach tears of stress.Eventually, shespotted her. Lying on the ground, she had a bullet through her chest. MJ tried not to panic, and to ignore the bewitching smell of blood. She quickly flew down to her.

"Mum," she whispered. Blossom looked at her, and smiled.

"It's not as bad as it looks," she said hoarsely, "but could you get me to a hospital quickly please."

"Okay mum," MJ said as bravely as she could when her mother was coughing up blood. She picked her up gently and sacredly. "I will."

* * *

Okay, Thanks for reading. Please review. Thanks. 


	9. Uncovered

Sorry for the delayed update, my internet correction went down.

Here is the other character I've missed so far this story.

**

* * *

9. Uncovered**

"Blossom, wake up. Blossom…" a voice gently whispered. Blossom rolled over.

"Not just yet Brick… BRICK!" she sat blot upright. Although it wasn't exactly clear where upright was, as she seemed to be floating in a purple void. Brick was drifting along side her.

"Hia," he said. Blossom jumped.

"I am dead?" she asked. Brick paused for a moment, and then suck his hand through Blossom.

"Nope."

"Ah. I thought it didn't seem that bad. Then why are you here… and where exactly is here?"

"Relax," Brick put his hands behind his head and leant back to emphasise the point, "you're just in a short comma, and I'm here to keep you company." He looked up for a moment, "or I'm a figment of your imagination and you've flipped."

"Ha ha," Blossom replied, "I haven't flipped. I'd have noticed."

"Then why are you keeping Sonic in your basement?"

"Because… this is stupid! If we're together for a brief moment, surely we've got better things to do then argue!"

"Really? That's what we mostly do… did." He reached out for her, and passed his hand through again. "I miss those days," he said. "We used to spend hours arguing, remember?"

"They were debates, not arguments… what's that?"

"What's what?"

"That ring on your finger?" Blossom said. Brick looked at it.

"Ah yes. Don't you remember it?"

"No, why should I?"

"I stole it from a shop the day I first asked you out."

"Which time?"

"The time you said yes," Brick smiled happily. Blossom nodded.

"Ah yes. Why are wearing it then?"

"It's a system they use when you're dead. If you have a ring on your right hand, it means that you're waiting for someone to die, you know, sort of like being married, but separated. I suppose it's a warning that when the person you love dies, and you reunited, you are going to drop everything, and anyone else."

Blossom nodded. She'd told Brick last time they'd met that he needed to do something other than moping and stalking her, although in a nicer way.

"How's it going?" she asked. Brick snorted.

"Well, thanks to you," he jibbed, "my room mate has rolled out his 'time flies when you're having fun' philosophy! I haven't had a break since, and if I see one more board game I swear I'll…"

"What about meeting anyone?" Blossom asked. Brick shrugged.

"There are a lot of nice girls," he admitted, "but I don't think I have the heart to go out with them and then drop them. I think I'd rather keep playing Monopoly."

Blossom laughed. "You've gone soft!" she said, "before you went out with me how many one night stands did you do?"

"Firstly, Butch and Boomer had many more than me…"

"Is that something to be proud of?" Blossom asked but Brick ignored it.

"And secondly, I'm thirty two now, not a teenager!"

"Hey, how does aging work when you're dead?"

"Now that's a fascinating question," Brick mused, "but it will have to wait for another time."

"Why?"

"Because you're about to wake up." He blew her a kiss. "Love you!" and with a pop he vanished. Then the purple void vanished, and Blossom was staring at the ceiling of a hospital.

"DADDY, DADDY, MUMS AWAKE, SHE'S AWAKE!" MJ shouted. Blossom leaned over to see Eddy drop his newspaper due to the shock of his daughter landing on his lap. Edward came running over too.

"Hi, Mum, you are now the proud owner of a scar like mine!" he said, as if it were a good thing. Blossom smiled briefly and tried to sit up. Her chest hurt. Eddy found his voice.

"Careful now dear," he said taking her under the shoulders and lifting her up, "it's still going to be sore."

"You're telling me," Blossom gasped. She steadied her breathing. "You all look worried, it can't have been that bad. It was only a bullet."

"Yes, but it did penetrate. I was just worried that you might not… you know… give up and let death come." Eddy was nervous. Blossom sighed.

"I love you all," she said reassuringly, "I'm not going to roll over and die at the first opportunity." _Just to be with Brick, _she silently finished to Eddy by looking in his eyes. Eddy looked slightly guilt for suggesting it.

"I'll go get the doctor," he said, still chirpily though, and he left. Blossom turned to the kids.  
"So MJ, it was your turn to save me was it?"

"Yep," she said proudly. "That's one all!"

"Yes, but you didn't save Mum from ME," Edward retorted, "I think that deserves 2-1 at least."

"Gee, you two kids are competitive," Blossom smiled. It was some what endearing.

"And I can fly and he can't!" MJ demonstrated it too. Blossom was slightly disappointed to see that Edward didn't look the slightest bit jealous. This is crazy, she thought. How can I one moment not want him to know about his powers and the next be disappointed that he doesn't want to know.

"That's very good MJ," she said anyway.

"It's not perfect yet though," said Edward in the tone that a trainer would use for an athlete who hadn't reached their full potential, "she can't turn corners."

"Really?" Blossom was confused, "then how did you get me here?"

MJ looked embarrassed. "Well, I flew back to the city, then I web swung the rest of the way. Like Spiderman does. I had a few photos taken too, they must have thought I was him."

Blossom wasn't so sure. The newspapers hated Spiderman. They were on her side at the moment, but what would they think of MJ when they found out?

* * *

After finding out from the doctor that it was only a light wound, that she'd only been out for a few hours, and once a bandage had been applied, Blossom was discharged. First thing she did was head for the SSR. She needed to work out who'd shot her.

When she got back to her desk however, she found that a lot of people had already been looking into it.

"There's no mistaking it," Tails told her with a hint of regret, "this bullet is the same type that killed Amy and Manic, a special bullet that will even penetrate superheroes." Shadow, Sonna, Knuckles, Bubbles and Buttercup were also there. (The two Ruffs were exhausted and had taken a break; it appeared that the people they'd been guiding had almost limitless energy.)

"So are you saying that Nack shot me?" Blossom asked. Shadow Blinked.

"No, we're saying Sonic shot you," he said deadpan.

SHIT, thought Blossom, I'm not supposed to know about Nack!

"But we still don't know where he is," said Bubbles, "and he could strike again at any minute!"

"We'll stay here until we get him," Shadow spoke again, but he was still looking at Blossom, his eyes boring into her, as if they were trying to read her mind.

"HEY," the black hedgehog's attention was finally drawn from her by Knuckles. "You promised me that we'd leave as soon as we found my emerald!"

"Have you found it yet," said Shadow coolly. Knuckles flustered for a moment, but Buttercup rescued him.

"Hey, we might be able too…"

"HANG ON," Bubbles suddenly, with a note of desperation in her voice cut across her sister. "I've been thinking."

"That's new." Buttercup was not happy about being interrupted. Bubbles ignored her.

"All this stuff we know about Sonic. We know he doesn't trust many people. We know he can't survive in the wild. We know he lived in his office, and we know he has no real friends. So where would he go?"

"Anywhere!" said Knuckles tetchily, "now about my…"

"He hasn't even left the state."

"WHAT!"

"He's in Townsville."

"What are you saying," asked Tails, but Shadow was now staring at Blossom again. A rye smile was developing on his face.

"He will have gone to the one person who he believes will understand him," he said. "That's what she's saying."

"Why are you looking at Blossom," asked Buttercup, who knew the answer but didn't want to believe it.

"When did he tell you his pathetic alibi?" Shadow asked Blossom. She squirmed.

"You have Sonic!" said Sonna in shock. Blossom broke.

"Maybe," she conceded. She couldn't bring herself to admit it.

"Blossom…" gasped Buttercup. Bubbles also looked worried, this confused Blossom, she should have been looking smug. The others looked nervous, (except Shadow.) Tails and Knuckles exchanged glances, Sonna looked at her feet.

"Does that mean we have to arrest him?" Tails asked. His question was left unanswered. It answered its self.

"Bubbles, take us to Blossom's house please," Shadow said.

"Okay, all link hands," she said, but Bubbles was confused. How come she'd worked all that out? It wasn't like her to be so smart, or to dump Blossom in it like that (well, not with strangers around anyhow.)

_Don't worry about that, _a voice in the back of her head said, _capturing Sonic will distract them from their Emerald, and then it will be ours! _So smiling, she teleported them away.

* * *

The house was empty. Sonic knew this because he'd heard Eddy leave with the kids. They were planning something to welcome Blossom home with. It seemed stupid to Sonic. She'd only been gone for a few hours! You'd have thought she'd been shot or something.

Sonic sighed. Maybe it was this sort of thing that had prevented him from understanding family life. Maybe he should experiment on what ever planet he landed up on next. Earth was a nice planet though. And he had had a great job. It was sad to lose it all.

To distract himself from such depressing thoughts, he focused on the fact that he was hungry. When was Blossom coming with his next meal? Perhaps he could pick the lock and help himself…

The door at the top of the basement stairs opened. Sonic looked up.

"Well it's about time!" he shouted. Blossom looked in.

"Sorry I'm late Sonic. I got shot."

"Really, who by and when's dinner."

"Five o'clock. On death row." Shadow pushed his way past Blossom. Sonic was aghast.

"You…I…"

"They guessed," Blossom said, looking at her feet. Shadow was grinning broadly.

"Okay Sonic, don't make a move. Lets not do this the hard way," he said, as Buttercup started taking Blossom to task about this. But Sonic wasn't listening to any of them. He'd spotted someone.

"Why did you lie to me Blossom?" he said coldly. Blossom looked up. Buttercup stopped.

"Sonic?"

"Why didn't you tell me Sonna was here?" he sounded crushed. Sonna looked at Sonic, and then stepped in behind Knuckles. Blossom hesitated. They were now all down in the basement in a ring around Sonic.

"I thought you might do something rash. I didn't want to get any false hope up."

"False hope," Sonic said miserably. "False hope that she might still love me."

"No, Dad, I…" Sonna stuttered.

"Don't worry about that girl," Sonic overrode her, "I know my place. Come on, let's get this over with."

Shadow gestured at Tails for him to handcuff Sonic to himself, and as he did, Blossom walked up to Sonic, and bent down to him.

"It's okay," she tried to reassure him, her heart filled with pity. "We've got legal teams, lawyers, rights of appeals, it's not over yet."

Sonic had never looked so defeated. He looked up at Blossom, will his huge single eye, and said mournfully, "I'm glad you think that too."

He swung his arm and sent Tails arm smacking into to Blossom's chest, right where she'd been shot. As the pink Puff rolled backwards in pain, everyone tried to jump out of the relaxed poses they'd been in. Sonic had timed it perfectly, the only person who had a chance of stopping him was Shadow, but Sonna slightly impeded him and it was enough to give the hedgehog the time he needed. Sonic whipped his former sidekick fox round, and in a moment, was using Tails left hand (handcuffed to Sonic's right) to choke him. Sonic was now behind Tails, he had him as a perfect hostage.

"Alrighty!" Sonic's confidence was back like a flash, "back off, or I'll kill him!"

"DAD NO," Sonna tried to get to him, but Shadow cut her off.

"Back down!" he ordered. Bubbles and Buttercup didn't feel obliged to obey.

"If you lay one finger on him…" Bubbles started as they approached.

"Back down you two," Blossom said as she stood up. Her sisters looked reluctant, but they did. Buttercup still took a cheap shot.

"See what you helped!" she spat as Blossom gingerly picked her self up. The bullet wound was stinging like crazy.

"Right back, up against the wall, that's it," order Sonic. Tails coughed slightly as everyone backed off. Well, nearly everyone. Knuckles stood at the bottom of the basement stairs, completely unmoved.

"Come on Sonic, your not going to kill Tails! You're too soft."

"I murdered my wife," Sonic yanked on Tails' throat for a moment, "or did I?"

"Lets not get into that," said Knuckles grimly, "just release Tails."

Sonic chuckled. "Always to the point Knuckles, just like old times." He gripped Tail's wrist gently yet firmly. "Yes, just like old times…"

"NO DAD," Sonna recognised the wrist grab before anyone else, "DON'T…"

There was a blue flash and Knuckles got trampled.

"…run," she tailed off.

* * *

Okay, please review. Thanks. Not long left now… 


	10. Famlies Reunited

Sorry for the long wait for this, but it is here now. Oh yes, and I've been informed that I have spelt **Sonna** wrong for the entire story thus far, so I'm changing it to the correct spelling, **Sonia**. Hope that doesn't confuse you too much.

**

* * *

10. Families Reunited**

Still confused and breathless, Miles "Tails" Prower bounced around in the turbulence behind Sonic. He should have been used to this, he thought, but it had been a while. So long in fact, that it reminded him of the first time Sonic had taken him for a run. So he tried to focus on not vomiting, and waited for the familiar bang of the sound barrier breaking.

It never came, and presently Sonic stopped.

"Gee pickle brain, you produce even more air resistance now then you used to," he said. Tails Blinked, and fell to the floor beside him. They were still handcuffed.

"You're not even slightly tired?" he asked, still trying to retain his lunch.

"Nope. Not now, not ever."

"And you're not trying to kill me?"

"Now what made you ever think that I would little bro?" Sonic said gently. "I'd never hurt you. Besides, what good is a dead hostage?"

Tails expression changed to a look of horror, till Sonic cracked and started laughing. The fox snorted.

"Always with the practical jokes, aye Sonic."

"Yep," Sonic chuckled. "Shame only Knuckles got it though. But he was never going to beat us, was he."

"Nope, he never could."

"Too slow you see." There was a pause.

"Sonic?"

"Yes."

"I… didn't really do anything to beat Knuckles, did I?"

"No, you didn't." Sonic paused for a moment. "Just like the old days."

"Oh of course," Tails replied cheekily, "next time I'll let you fall over that edge to your doom." Sonic laughed.

"Hey, I always gave you your fair share of the credit, but the media love their heroes."

"And their villains," Tails added. Sonic sighed.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "How bad is the publicity back on Mobious?"

"Pretty bad."

"No chance of a fair trial then," Sonic said. Tails sat up.

"If it means anything to you, I think you're innocent. So does Knuckles."

"Yes, that'll keep me warm inside as I swing from the gallows," Sonic said sadly. He thumped the ground beside him. Tails watched. Then he summoned up all his courage and spoke.

"Sonic, I think you should give your self up."

The hedgehog looked up. "Pardon! Even for you that's a bad plan!"

"No wait, hear me out."

"As if I've got much choice." Sonic gestured to the handcuffs.

"Listen. If you're running away, I'm stuck chasing you. But if you're awaiting trial, I can work on proving you're innocent! Perhaps by finding Nack. Anyway," he continued more gently, "what the point of spending you're entire life on the run?"

Sonic said nothing for a while. "I was fairly happy here," he said eventually.

"Those days are over Sonic. Sorry," Tails put a hand on Sonic's shoulder. Sonic nodded. Then he stood up.

"Okay, I'll give my self up," he said determinedly. "But I'll do it on my terms. You up for that?"

"Of course," said Tails happily, "I'm good at acting the helpless hostage role, I've had enough practice!"

Sonic sniggered. "Said that before I could," he laughed, and the pair of them shot off.

* * *

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU BLOSSOM!" Buttercup had been going on like this for about ten minutes now. "HOW COLD YOU JEOPARDISE YOUR CHANCES OF BECOMING THE SSR'S LEADER FOR THAT JERK! DO YOU REALISE THAT ASSISTING A FUGATIVE IS ILLEGAL!"

"You don't have to shout Buttercup," Blossom looked her sister in the eyes, "I'm fully aware of what I did."

This seemed to fluster the Green Puff. "Why?" was all she could manage. Blossom shrugged. Buttercup let out an exasperated sigh and finally backed away, allowing Blossom to look at the others. Shadow was pacing impatiently, Sonia was lost in thought and a slightly battered Knuckles was continuously refusing Bubbles' offer of cups of tea.

"I'm fine!" he insisted again.

"But your shaking," Bubbles persisted, "a bit of caffeine will help." Blossom could have pointed out that it wouldn't, but she didn't have the energy. She was still in pain from her gunshot wound, and it was taking a lot out of her.

"What are we waiting for anyway!" snapped Knuckles. The phone rang. Shadow stopped pacing.

"That," he said, and he zipped over to the phone. "Hello, Sonic… Oh." He handed it to Blossom. Knuckles tuted furiously. Blossom spoke down the phone for a minute, and then called upstairs.

"EDDY, IT'S YOUR BROTHER!"

"I'M NOT IN!" was the reply.

"Has he been here all this time?" asked Bubbles.

Blossom nodded and took the phone upstairs. While she was gone, Knuckles' mobile went off.

"WHAT!" he barked. Everyone went silent. Knuckles listened. "Okay," he said eventually and he rung off. "Sonic's got Tails in an aircraft hanger, he's demanding a plane."

"Right!" Shadow said as Blossom returned, "Let's get going! Knuckles go and fetch the spaceship and fly it to the airport, the quicker we get him onto it, the shorter he's got to escape again! Me and Sonia will go and stake him out."

"What's going on?" asked Blossom.

"We've got him cornered," Buttercup said. Blossom paused.

"Get anyone we can spare down there," She said eventually, "We need to surround the entire building, and with someone that quick it's going to be tricky."

* * *

The airport was closed and the hanger surrounded. Shadow was pressed up against the door, with Blossom and Sonna.

"Everyone's in position," the pink hedgehog reported loyally yet slightly nervously. Shadow nodded.

"Okay, now we just wait for him to run."

"Wait," said Blossom calmly, "let me go in and talk to him. I might be able to persuade him to give himself up peacefully." Shadow stifled a laugh.

"No," he said after regaining his composer, "he might hurt Tails."

"Why?" said Sonia. "He's got nothing to gain from it, and my Dad wouldn't kill for fun!"

"And I'm no threat to him," Blossom said, pointing to the bandage across her shoulder. Shadow paused, and eventually nodded.

"What the hell," he said, "it might just flush him out!"

"Great," said Blossom. She opened the door a crack. "Come on Sonia," she said suddenly, and as quick as a flash, she'd dragged Sonic's daughter inside before Shadow could protest. The spring loaded door swung shut. Shadow thumped the wall once.

"I hope you know what you are doing Blossom," he said.

* * *

It was dark and dingy in the hanger. The huge hulks of silent aircraft loomed above them, parked in small puddles of oil. The smell of petrol hung in the muggy, still air, and the whole building creaked slightly. Blossom cleared her throat.

"Sonic, are you there?" No response. Blossom waved Sonia forward, and the two of them proceeded deeper into the hanger.

"Sonic, it's me, Blossom. I'm not here to hurt you." Still silence. Blossom waved for Sonia to stop in a shadowy area under a wing, and walked a semi-lit area in the very centre.

"Sonic?" she said again. Finally he emerged, with his hostage fox still restrained in the arm lock. Tails was pail and choking, Sonic smiling grimly.

"What do you want?" he said calmly. Blossom remained emotionless.

"I have someone to talk to you," she said, and she waved Sonia forward. Any malice in Sonic's face disappeared.

"Sonia?" he gasped.

"Dad?" she responded cautiously.

"Come here Sonia, Please?" Sonic said, but his daughter had stopped.

"I think if she knew that you weren't actually strangling me it would help," said Tails. Sonic blinked.

"Oh yes," he said, releasing Tails. Sonia now approached slowly. Sonic smiled slightly.

"Sonia, I'll sorry," he said, "I'm sorry for what happened with your mother. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you! Please forgive me. It can be different! I Promise."

Sonia blinked. "Did you love us?" she asked. "Me and Manic, did you?"

Sonic sighed. "Of course I do. Did. Do."

Sonia was shaking now. "Did you kill her?" she whispered, her voice cracking slightly.

"No, but in a moment no one will know!" came a new voice. Blossom looked, but Sonic didn't. Dragging the surprised Tails, he surged forwards and smacked Sonia to the ground. A bullet whizzed past his head and perilously close to Tails. Blossom flicked her head round to try and see who'd fired, but as the three animals on the floor tried to untangle themselves, a gun suddenly clicked next to Sonic's head.

Later Blossom would be annoyed about letting herself be caught out. But now she was focused on one thing. The newcomer wore a flat brimmed hat and boots with spurs, and a utility belt crammed with weapons. He was covered in purple fur, and had one protruding spiked tooth. Blossom knew who it was, even though she'd never seen him. It was Nack the weasel.

* * *

Okay, there you go, sorry it's a bit short. Only one more chapter to go, so please review. Say anything. Thanks. 


	11. Losing your Vaules

Okay, this is the final chapter. Once you've read it, please review.

While we're here, I'd like to thank my co-writer, my brother mg34 (who has proved that he can write serious stories despite what he has put on this site), all my reviewers, and those of you who helped with you're suggestions and information. I will be starting a squeal imminently. Thanks.

**

* * *

11. Losing your Values**

Nack chewed on his gum for a moment, before spitting it out onto the floor, just missing Sonic. He pushed the gun against the hedgehog's head, who was knelt on the floor.

"Don't move Sonic," Nack said, "even you aren't faster then my finger, from the floor anyway!"

Sonic was rigged and tense. Tails stayed stock still; he was still handcuffed to Sonic. Sonia started to get up. Nack shot her a look.

"Don't move," he said snidely, "unless you want you're father shot."

"You killed them, didn't you!" Sonia hissed at him. Nack laughed.

"Only because he asked me too," he said, gesturing to Sonic, "but he never paid me, probably because of his miserable attempt to cancel the contract. My contracts can not be cancelled." He sneered at her. Sonia nearly exploded.

"YOU BASTARD…"

"Stay where you are Sonia," Blossom said. She was a good ten metres away from the others. Nack semi-turned towards her, but he kept half an eye on Sonic and company.

"I would have thought you'd be dead by now," he said. "Not many people escape me. You and you're luck daughter make it four people in thirty years."

"You shot me?" Blossom automatically reached up to her wound. Nack smiled evilly.

"Yes, and it appears you got away with it. But yet it never be said I'm not a creature of honour…" Tails laughed. Nack filched his gun hand for a moment, and the fox was silenced. "So I'll give you a deal," the weasel continued. "If you leave now and don't say anything, I'll let you, your daughter and the rest of your family live."

"And what about Sonic, Sonia and Tails?" Blossom asked firmly.

"Well, Sonic will return to Mobious with two more murders in on his record, and I'll collect my reward for capturing him. Tails and Sonia, well, you know. Not too much to ask for your families safety, isn't it?"

"If that's what you think." Blossom was unmoved. Nack scowled.

"You're a fool," he said. Sonic laughed.

"The line between genius and insanity is very fine," he said very calmly for someone with a gun against his head. "Some people walk alone it, others are miles into the insane zone."

Nack whirled back round to Sonic, and pistol wiped him. "You can't be so smart now hedgehog, I have you at my mercy…"

With the weasel momentarily distracted, Blossom eye-zapped the gun out of his hand. Before the bounty hunter could react, Sonic did. He swung Tails round, who raised his feet to catch Nack just under the chin. As he staggered back, Blossom zipped across towards him, and punched him into a pile of spare aircraft parts. But she'd stressed her gunshot wound, and she instinctively reached up for it. Sonic scrabbled to his feet.

"Tails, get these things off!" he said, shaking the handcuffs.

"Shadow's got the key!"

"Brilliant," said Sonic. Blossom flew over too them.

"I'll get that!" she said, and she yanked the cuffs apart, just as Nack emerged from the heap, brandishing two machine guns.

"Eat this!" he screamed, filling the air with lead. Sonic, Tails and Blossom split in three different directions. Nack laughed manically, but not for long, as Sonia hit him over the head with an iron bar. He staggered forward, as Tails shot down from above to kick him in the chest. Nack reacted quickly though, and he grabbed Tails' ankle, and used his own momentum to hurl him into Sonia, rendering him unconscious.

Blossom threw a punch at Nack, which he somehow managed to duck, and hit her with the gun butt in the ribs. Blossom staggered back for a moment, and Nack took a small tube of liquid and hurled it at her. It smashed on contact, enveloping her in a gas. Blossom started coughing violently.

"That'll give me the time I need!" he cackled, and reloaded his gun. Sonic hit him in the side at full pelt, sending the two of them barrelling into a heap. Nack ended up underneath, but he smacked Sonic under the chin and ended up on top, drawing a knife.

"Dam the reward," he said though gritted teeth, "there will be no witnesses to what I did! Your dead hedge…"

He rolled off Sonic and collapsed in a heap on the floor. Sonic sat up and looked at him. He'd been shot in the head. Sonia was lowering the gun, the one that Nack had dropped earlier. She looked slightly pail.

As Blossom picked herself up and cleared the vile gas from her lungs, Sonic rushed over to Sonia.

"Sonia! You okay?" he said with the natural concern of a father. Sonia was shaking, struggling to believe what she'd done. She'd killed her mother's and brother's murder. He had been on the verge of killing her father. It wasn't as if he didn't deserve it. So why did she feel so awful?

Sonic could tell she was upset. For a moment, he regretted every moment he'd been on Earth, away from her. He'd liberated an entire planet for flips sake; he surely could have found a way to stay with her, rather then fleeing from her along with his past. These thoughts passed though, because he could try and help now.

Blossom was intending to leave them to it and tend to the incapacitated Tails, but just before Sonic reached his daughter, something occurred to the puff. A machine gun is very loud, so why hadn't any of the heroes outside entered to find out what had happened.

The answer was simple; they were about to. Sonic got caught mid-stride by a black flash, and was sent scraping along the hanger floor away from his daughter. For good measure, his attacker – Shadow – smacked Sonic's head into the ground a few times.

"Got you this time!" he sneered, as Sonic's mouth filled with blood.

"No, wait…" wailed Sonia, tears now beginning to well up in her eye.

"Take Tails and join Knuckles on the ship!" ordered Shadow.

"But…"

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" Shadow bellowed, ramming Sonic's head against the floor as he struggled for a moment. Sonia stifled another whimper, but took Tails and left. Blossom stepped forward. The hanger was full of superheroes now, she'd only ever seen this many in one place during the general meetings… and when they were queuing for lunch. Just as they'd been four days ago, when Sonic had humiliated her in front of them all. Back then she'd have given almost anything to see him dragged away in pain. But a lot had happened since then. She approached Shadow, who was cuffing Sonic's hands and feet.

"Would you like to know what actually happened in here?" she asked, "rather then jumping to immediate conclusions?"

* * *

In all jobs, you have to work with objectionable people. Brick swung the scythe and cut Nack's soul from his body. The weasel looked around irritably.

"I HAD THEM!" he hissed, "HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?"

Brick shrugged. "These things happen," he said distractedly. He was looking at Blossom. He could have shouted to her, but there was no point. For starters she was busy, and secondly, it wouldn't help. Blossom could only see Brick if she knew he was there (unlike MJ, who could just see him.) Brick supposed that she wouldn't expect him to come for a weasel. That didn't stop him from looking at her though.

"HEY," Nack taped him impatiently on the shoulder, "what happens now?"

Brick reluctantly tore his eyes away from Blossom and looked at his paperwork. "You're on the list for the bad place, so I'll take you to see the boss, and then he'll confirm it I suppose."

Nack gulped. "Is that it?" he asked.

"Yep," said Brick, as he took the weasel to the waiting Katharine (his horse, in case you've forgotten), "but I can do one thing for you."

"What?"

"Make sure you're among your own kind once you get down there, rather than with all the humans. You know, send you to Mobious' bad place."

Nack swallowed hard. He expected that when he got there, there would be a few people that would want to talk to him…

* * *

Shadow had listened to what Blossom had to say. He considered it carefully.

"There isn't any actual hard proof that Nack did it, is there?"

"No," Blossom admitted, "but proof could be found, if you looked for it." Shadow shook his head, as the other superheroes closed in, to listen more closely.

"It doesn't work," he said firmly. "I think Sonic paid Nack to say all those things, as soon as Nack had taken him to his ship, they would have exchanged money and gone their separate ways. And the rumours would have improved Nack's bounty hunting reputation, which is all he really cared about. It would have worked for both sides."

Sonic swallowed the Blood. "You can't possibly believe that!" he said.

"I don't know," said Batman flatly, "those sorts of things do happen." There were murmurs of agreement from the other heroes.

"All the evidence points to you Sonic," said Cyclops, "if your stories true, where is the forensic evidence at the original murder to support it, or the signs of a struggle?"

"They were there!" Sonic snorted, "They just didn't look for it!"

Blossom was not happy. She could tell that the mood of the surrounding heroes was that Sonic was lying; even Bubbles and Buttercup were nodding their heads in agreement. Still, she had time.

"We can discuss this all later," she said confidently, "you still need to find your Chaos Emerald."

"No we don't," Shadow replied, "I know it was you puff's giving off those Chaos Energy readings, so there isn't an Emerald here. We'll be taking Sonic and leaving, unless you have any objections.

(Bubbles was now hopeful. Blossom could hardly delay Shadow by giving him the Emerald. So she could take it for her self. As long as Buttercup didn't suspect anything…)

Blossom couldn't think of anything to say. Or anything useful anyway. How do you argue with a fanatic?

"I think he's innocent," she said. Shadow chuckled.

"If you're right, I'm sure the jury will agree." He turned to leave, dragging Sonic off with him, towards the ship. Sonic twisted himself round to face Blossom as he was dragged away.

"Don't listen to him Blossom! They'll kill me!" he shouted. Blossom wanted to stop them. She wanted to help. But she was aware of the muttering of the crowd behind her, and that some of them were filtering way. Shadow stopped and turned back to Blossom.

"If you don't want any one to know where we found him, I suggest you keep quite," he said coldly.

"Blossom, Please!" Sonic shouted to her, "you know I'm innocent, please help me!"

Blossom blinked. She was scared now. What if Shadow did say, any chance of getting the leadership job would be gone. And she really wanted it. She glanced around, looking for any support from her colleagues. There wasn't any forth coming, in fact, the rate at which they were leaving increased. Sonic was a little way away now.

Suddenly she was aware of Buttercup beside her. As she put a hand on Blossom's shoulder, Bubbles also moved in.

"Come on Blossom," she said, "it's not any of our business anymore." They turned away, and started followed the rest out.

Blossom just stood there, watching. In a few days time she'd be confirmed as the new leader of the SSR, her salary increase would have removed any of her financial worries and for the first time in years, she'd look forward to going to work.

But for now, as she closed and her eyes and turned away, none of that floated in through her mind. The only thing in there was Sonic's echoing screams for her help, as he was dragged away.


End file.
